For instance, this earthquake played a key role in the formation of the the National Tsunami Warning Center, then known as the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

Many individuals at the time incorrectly believed that the most dangerous aspect of an earthquake was the violent shaking. We now know that depending on the location, an earthquake can generate potentially life-threatening tsunamis.

Even if persons aren't close enough to the epicenter to have felt the earthquake, a tsunami can still reach them.

This earthquake played a major role in the development and advancement of technology that monitors seismic activities.

These developments mean that a warning can be sent out within minutes of an earthquake, giving those who could be hit by a tsunami a chance to get to higher ground.

When it comes to massive earthquakes like what hit Alaska all those years ago, the major question is always, "Will it happen again?"

The answer is always, "Yes, it will."

Though these "megathrusts" aren't regular occurrences, there is evidence that they've happened throughout history with some form of regularity.

Scientists now know that the 1964 earthquake was the latest megathrust to hit Alaska. The region experiences such mega earthquakes at an average of once every 600 years.